Working towards more accessible libraries
The Lillooet Area Library Association (LALA) is dedicated to providing accessible and inclusive library services for our patrons. This page provides information and updates on the Library’s actions towards implementing the Accessible British Columbia Act.
The Accessible British Columbia Act outlines provincial rules on how to remove barriers to people with disabilities. LALA is working on better accessibility at our Libraries by:
- Feedback – How can the Library be better?
- Providing Inclusive Services and Programs
- Participating in the InterLINK Accessibility Advisory Committee
- Developing an Accessibility Plan
See below for more detail on each of these topics.
Feedback – How can the Library be better?
Tell us about how the Library is working for you. Help us understand the barriers you face when using the Library. We welcome both positive and negative feedback. Please email or phone our Library Director, Toby Mueller at 250-256-7944 or lala@lillooet.bclibrary.ca , or fill out the on-line contact form.
Please include the following information:
- What you were trying to do?
- What was the barrier?
- What would make it better?
Inclusive Services and Programs
Here are resources you can access with your Lillooet Area Library card:
The National Network of Equitable Library Service (NNELS) – a special collection of audio books for people who have a visual disability,
Home Library Service – Book delivery to homebound patrons,
Large print books,
Physical audiobooks (both DAISY & regular format),
Libby – borrow eBooks, e-audiobooks, e-magazines, and more from your local library. Libby is the library reading app by OverDrive,
Librivox – free public domain downloadable audiobooks.
For help with any of these resources you can contact us at 250-256-7944, make an appointment with our Adult Learning Centre or drop by your local branch.
InterLINK Accessibility Committee
Public Library InterLINK is the Lillooet Area Library Association’s Federation. InterLINK provides a wide range of services to it’s member Libraries. Several Libraries are working together to have a standing Accessibility Committee that will inform and guide the work of meeting the goals of the BC Accessibility Act. The InterLINK Accessibility Committee is part of a community-led process towards improving access and inclusion. The InterLINK Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) has representatives from:
- Public Library staff from the six participating Libraries,
- InterLINK staff,
- Members of the public with lived experience,
- Indigenous community members,
- Other members who reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.
The Committee will meet several times throughout the year to discuss strategies to improve access and inclusivity at the library. The goals of this committee are:
- To provide guidance and recommendations on the Accessibility Plan,
- To identify barriers to accessibility in local public libraries and recommend ways to remove and prevent them,
- To improve accessibility and inclusivity in our libraries,
- To obtain feedback from the community about accessibility, and to provide advice on responses to the feedback received.
Developing an Accessibility Plan
The Lillooet Area Library Association (LALA) is working towards developing a three-year accessibility plan that will consider the following principles: inclusion, adaptability, diversity, collaboration, self-determination, and universal design. Making spaces, programs and services better for people with disabilities means that everyone has an easier time accessing the Library.
As a Public Library Association, LALA does not own any of our physical spaces. We will be working with our landlord partners to improve the physical access at the three branches.
The Accessibility Plan will look at physical spaces, collections, programs and services to set goals and benchmarks to measure improvements in accessibility and inclusivity in our libraries.